If you want to be successful, then your nonprofit’s fundraising approach needs to adapt and innovate.

The stakes are high.

If you stick to the same old same old strategies, you will probably see declining revenue and shrinking numbers of donors.

Here are the issues that YOUR nonprofit needs to address for 2018:

Note: I am not touting shiny new ideas or be-all solutions. Every nonprofit needs a well-rounded fundraising program with diversified sources of revenue.

These are the strategies that are coming into their own as important. Adopt the ones that will enhance your work. Discard the rest.

And don’t forget! The new U.S. Tax Bill is dramatically changing the tax incentives to give. There’s new potential for major gifts, but we are predicting that smaller and mid-sized donors will probably cut back their gifts. See my full discussion of the tax bill here.

Fundraising Trend #1: Donors Are Not Sure They Trust You.

Across the board, there is a steady decline in trust of society’s institutions, including nonprofit organizations. This emerging distrust carries over to your donors, who are generally wary about how NGOs are using their money.

According to a recent Fidelity study, more than 8 in 10 donors say they have concerns about how their donations will be used and if their gifts will really make a difference.

Takeaway: Build donors’ confidence by being “transparent” about your fundraising: explicitly share how much you need to raise, why, and how the funds raised will be spent.

Fundraising Trend #2: The “Donor Experience” Reigns.

Much of our work on donor retention is morphing into a new focus on the broader overall Donor Experience.

Smart organizations are mapping out a true donor-centric “Donor Journey” – outlining what each donor experiences when they give to you over time.

Takeaway: The new CRMs and analysis platforms start by eliciting feedback from donors. Then they add data on the donor’s transactional and behavioral history.

And presto, you can create truly customized donor experiences. That’s the future!

Gail was a very skilled, passionate facilitator at the NCAEYC Board Retreat. She helped me to view fundraising from a totally new, different perspective.

Board MemberNCAEYC

Thank you very much for the great retreat. It was very productive and extremely uplifting to me and the members of the board. I really appreciated your focus on being positive and emphasizing our successes!

Fouad FakhouriArtistic DirectFayetteville Symphony

It was such a thrill to see the body language and faces of our board members change from reservation, reluctance, and uncertainty to smiles, laughs, and excitement. You rallied the troupes in a way that got them out of their comfort zone, made them tackle those underlying fears, and empowered them to motivate. It was brilliant!

Abby JohnstonDirector of DevelopmentSaint Mary's School

Love your blog and ideas. They inspire, remind and provide ideas that I use all the time. Your MPI suggestion is a nice was to remember what seems to me one of the very basic parts of what we do. Thanks for the impact you have had on my career.

Eric Billman

Love your material, your energy and so much more. Full of energy and passion for our profession.

Valerie

Loved your workshop, your enthusiasm and brilliance for the work and the material you presented. It was right on and perfectly aligned for me and the needs of my organization. Appreciated very much a window into your mastery.

Stanford SiverAlliance for PeaceBuildingWashington DC

Gail Perry is in-fact a non-profit missionary with a message that can save great organizations by helping them bring committed and passionate donors to their cause

Kim LopezBoard MemberInsight Meditation CenterWashington, DC

Thanks so much for a great retreat and leaving us with so much new momentum to go out and raise funds for GBMC. You did an outstanding job.

Doug SmithGreater Baltimore Medical Center Foundation

Gail”s practical advice from years of successful fundraising was priceless. Hers is that rare training after which you walk out and immediately start implementing her ideas. All I can say is thank you!

Kim LopezBoard memberInsight Meditation CenterWashington, DC

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Gail Perry inspires nonprofits around the world with cutting-edge fundraising strategies and new tools to make fundraising more successful and more fun. Find smart strategies to help you raise tons of money at Fired-Up Fundraising.com.